Buried Deep Within
by Miss Pookie Fethers
Summary: *REWRITTEN VERSION* What if everything in the Lord of the Rings was real? And what if a normal human being travelled to Middle-Earth and embarked on a new adventure with all the characters she thought didn't exist? Frodo/OC
1. Overwhelming Sensations

Buried Deep Within

Chapter 1: Overwhelming Sensations

Once you've read the end of this, you'll probably think I was just dreaming and none of it really happened. You can say what you like, but I know what just happened was real, and I'm never going to forget it for the rest of my life. All my hopes and dreams came true and I couldn't have wished for anything more.

First off, I hate my normal life. There's just nothing to enjoy about it. I'm stuck with lousy foster parents who never have a care in the world for me, and no one ever wants to hang out with me at school. It's not exactly a life you would want is it? And while going through all the pain and misery, I've had my fingers crossed that my life would change…just in some way…just one thing that would make me happy, like having a friend for instance…someone who would stand by my side when the going gets tough and someone who would put their arm around me when I'm unhappy. But despite my hoping and praying I didn't think I would find anyone I could get really close to…or so I thought…

It was just a normal day, and you wouldn't think it would be a good time for anything unusual to happen. One of my hobbies is reading so that dull afternoon I decided to amuse myself by settling down on my bed and read a 'Lord of the Rings' book. I have a thing for fantasy stories and it was about the only thing I could use in my life to have fun. I always used to think they gave me a lot of inspiration, especially 'Lord of the Rings', which was one of my favourite tales ever. This book that I had was very unique, as it contained many pictures and information about all the characters, creatures and places. It was almost as if it was a non-fiction book, and everything inside it was real...

I used to stare at the pages for hours on end, lost in my imagination, particularly liking the pictures of hobbits and the places they lived in. However, it would often happen that I would stay in my room for a bit too long reading the book. Whenever I did, my foster parents Tony and Sue tried to drag me away, because apparently they thought it wasn't good for me. I didn't understand how it could be, which is why I never really listened to them and kept reading it anyway.

But that day when I was keeping myself entertained with it, Tony and Sue were getting sick of it. So Tony marched up to my room and ordered me to come downstairs and not read the book for the rest of the week. I sat with them with my elbows on the table, sulking. "And you can wipe that frown off your face!" Tony snarled, "Honestly, these stupid fantasy stories, they can drive kids mad with all that made up nonsense. Soon you'll be thinking that there's a mystical world hidden somewhere we don't know…claptrap in my opinion. If you keep reading stuff like that you'll be badly influenced."

I couldn't hold my anger in. "Claptrap?" I exclaimed, "How could you? Sure all these stories came from just one person's mind, but maybe there is a place out there we're unaware of!"

"See what I mean?" Tony said to Sue, pointing at me, "All those crazy ideas have gone into the child's head. They'll be the death of you, Charlene. I swear."

"No they won't!" I snapped, "They'll be the best influence I've ever had, which is more than can be said for you two! It may all be made up, and it probably doesn't exist…but at least I've got imagination! And if you think it's all bad inspiration, don't tell that to me!"

I ran out of the kitchen and back up to my room, not looking back. I could hear Tony and Sue shouting after me, but I didn't listen. As soon as I got back in my room I threw myself on the bed and buried my face in the pillow. This was why life was so unbearable living with those two. I never had any freedom and basically I couldn't do anything that didn't suit them. At this point I desperately needed someone to look after me, I wished I had someone I loved, someone I trusted…but that was the problem. I never had anyone. I was alone.

So I made up my mind that I wouldn't let Tony and Sue decide what was best for me. I would still do the things I wanted to do, whether they liked it or not.

That night when I was in bed I switched my lights off and waited until I was sure Tony and Sue were asleep. Then I quietly reached my hand out from under the duvet and closed my fingers around the binding of my book. I brought it under the covers with me and switched on my torch, which I'd had in my hand since I came to bed. I breathed a sigh of relaxation as I opened the book and turned the familiar shabby pages once again. I had the urge to go to my favourite section of the book. I quickly flicked through the book until I found the hobbits section, which told of the four Halflings of the story. They were all my favourite characters; Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin. Not only were they nice characters, but I felt like I could relate to them in some way. Frodo in particular I had always liked. I felt sorry for the things that had happened to him in the story, how he had to go through the trauma of carrying the One Ring, but was also proud of him for volunteering to take the ring to Mordor in the first place.

I smiled as I stared at the pictures. There was a picture of all four hobbits standing in a row in the right-hand corner, an image of Rivendell behind them. As I took in all the details of the pictures, it suddenly made me feel sad. I wished that it all could have been real. Everything that happened in the story I wanted to be part of actual history, and I wished there was such a place as Middle Earth, and the Shire existed, and Gondor, Rohan, Rivendell, Minas Tirith, Helm's Deep, I just wished all of it could be real.

I flicked to another of my favourite pages, which was a beautiful map of Middle Earth. I turned my book horizontally so I could look at it. Every last detail of Tolkien's world had been marked out efficiently, and it was like it was a real place. I thought to myself: maybe it is a real place. Maybe I'll find it someday.

With a happy sigh I ran my hand over the rough tattered surface of the page. It was at that precise moment that I felt a strange tingling sensation in my hand, almost like a pins and needles feeling. And that sense started to spread away from my hand and up my arm; it was like something was wrapping itself around me, I'd never felt anything like it before. Soon my entire body was filled with the strange prickling feeling…and as I stared at the book the page with the map on seemed to sparkle, and it got lighter and lighter until it ripped a hole in it.

My mind was all over the place. I didn't know how to react. I didn't have a chance to do anything anyway as I felt an immense force pull me towards the book, almost like I was magnetic. At this point I was trying very hard not to scream, as I didn't want to wake Tony and Sue. I just stared at the book with my eyes wide and my mouth open as my skin also twinkled with yellow light as I somehow dived into the hole in the book…

* * *

_Hi everyone! :) This is Abigail, the author of this story. (obviously xD)_

_So this is the rewritten version of 'Buried Deep Within', and I've made a few little changes to the story so that it looks and sounds a lot better than before. :)_

_My female OC will now be called Charlene rather than Abigail. I know you might have gotten used to her being called Abigail but I think having that as her name makes the story really Mary-Sueish (since Abigail's my name), which is why I've changed it. _

_I started writing this fanfiction when I was 13, and I'm now 17! Time flies so quickly, doesn't it? So my writing style has improved over the years and I think I can develop this story into something more commendable than it was before, because I don't really want to get rid of it and start it all over again. _

_So I'll let you carry on reading, and thank you so much for all the support with this fanfic! I really appreciate it!_


	2. An Unexpected Meeting

Chapter 2: An Unexpected Meeting

I felt a bump as I landed on hard land. It took me a few moments to get my head around the fact I was still alive. I was lying face down and when I was brave enough to open my eyes I saw lush ground beneath my face. When I slowly lifted my head, I was staggered. I was outside a village. There were lots of strange houses built into mounds of earth and every single door was shaped like a circle. There were lots of people walking around with odd clothing on and some were leading animals like goats with them. This place seemed so familiar...where had I seen it before? And then the vital clue stood right next to me: a lengthy pub, once again with a circular door, with an imprint of a green dragon on the front.

I got to my feet quickly and hid myself behind the side of the pub before anyone saw me. I tried to stay calm by breathing in and out, but I was so astonished that it was very hard to stay relaxed. There was no mistaking where I was. The pub was distinctively the Green Dragon and the people in the village were obviously-

"We'll see you soon Ted! Hope the mill's working properly by tomorrow!"

As I heard the pub door creak open and that voice come out from inside, my heart skipped a beat. I'd recognise that accent anywhere…

"Bye Merry! Bye Pip!" I heard two other pairs of feet scamper off into the village. "No…" I whispered, "It can't be…"

At first I thought I was dreaming. I must be, I thought to myself. Maybe I fell asleep while reading. I heard footsteps making squashing sounds on the grass as someone came right towards me. And then when I saw the instantly recognizable face of Samwise Gamgee looking at me, I knew I wasn't dreaming. This felt real.

"Hullo," he said politely.

"Um…hello," I said timidly, and then I suddenly realized that I was almost exactly the same height as him. How could that be? Hobbits were supposed to be tiny! I wasn't tiny!

"Are you all right?" he asked sympathetically.

"Um, yes….and no. I... I don't really know what I'm doing here."

"What do you mean?" Sam said.

"Well…I might sound crazy if I tell you." I said to him.

"Try me, miss. I may not know you, but I'm always willing to help a lass in trouble."

I chuckled. Sam was just as jolly and kind-hearted as Tolkien had described him.

"That's sweet of you." I said, trying to sound as polite as possible. "Thank you, Sam."

He looked shocked. "How do you know my name?" he exclaimed.

"Oh, um..." I had no idea what to say. This was going to take a lot of explaining. "Just take me to your house. I'll tell you everything."

* * *

"Well, uh...this is an awful lot to take in. What was your name, miss?" Sam said.

"Charlene. My name's Charlene," I said, taking a sip from my cup of coffee. "And yes, I knew you wouldn't believe me at first, but trust me, it's all true."

We were both sitting at a round table in Sam's living room. It looked exactly the same as I'd remembered it in the pictures. The arched corridors, the globular doors, and everything was neat and tidy. It wasn't quite as well-kept as Bag End, but still beautiful all the same. I kept thinking I had to be dreaming, because this was just impossible. But it felt completely real and I didn't want to think I was dreaming, as this was turning out to be the best day of my life.

I had told Sam everything that had happened. He didn't believe me at first, however when I told him I knew all about the ring, the fellowship, and all that had happened to him, he eventually trusted me. "So our adventures have been made into lots of books you say?" Sam asked curiously.

"Yes," I said, "and we live in another world far from here. We're totally oblivious to you. We don't even think you exist. We all think the stories of Middle Earth are just made up. So did I, as a matter of fact. But now I'm here, and it's real and...it's amazing!"

"And you're happy to be here?"

"Yes, of course! I've always hoped that it was real and I would get to be here someday."

"But what I don't understand is…you say you're human…so why are you hobbit height?"

"I don't know…I'm quite tall normally, and I don't see how I could have shrunk."

"Well, you're in Middle Earth now. I'd say you've been turned into a hobbit."

"Really?" I gasped, looking at myself. My legs were definitely stockier than they had been before, and I saw that my bare feet now had several dark hairs on them. It wasn't an attractive look, but I didn't care. I was a hobbit!

"So I guess you're going to be staying here for a while then."

"Yes…I suppose." I actually hadn't thought about how I was going to get home, unless I was dreaming in which case I would wake up, but it didn't feel like a dream. And I didn't want it to be a dream either. "I'm not keen on the idea of going back anyway," I said to Sam.

"Well, if you are staying," said Sam, "I suggest you change into something other than your pyjamas." He looked me up and down, and until that point I had forgotten I was still wearing my night clothes. "You can borrow one of Rosie's outfits. I'm sure she won't mind." Sam suggested.

"Will they fit me?"

"You are hobbit size now; I don't think you'll have any trouble!" Sam laughed.

Later on I found myself in a flower embroidered vest with maroon leggings. It felt a bit baggy but it would have to do. While I was staying there, I asked Sam heaps of questions. He talked and talked about how he first met Rosie and what was happening with his family now.

I constantly asked about Merry and Pippin, and if he still knew Aragorn, Faramir, Arwen and all the other people he had met. Then I asked about Valinor, also known as the Undying Lands, the place where Bilbo and Frodo had gone after the ring was destroyed. It was then that a thought struck me. I wanted to ask about Frodo. So after Sam had stopped talking about Elves, I said to him, "Sam…what was Frodo like?"

He paused for a couple of seconds before saying anything, then he sighed and said, "To put it bluntly…a great friend, miss Charlene."

"Yes, I'm sure," I said gently. "Do you miss him?"

"Yes, I do. But I know that he's living in a better place with his good old uncle Bilbo and Gandalf."

"I would have loved to meet him," I said quietly. I was being completely honest. To meet Frodo would have been amazing. Perhaps even more amazing than any of the characters I had read about.

"Yes, you would have liked him a lot if you met him," Sam said. There was a short pause, and then Sam smiled and said, "But there's someone else you can meet. Well... two people, that is."

"Who?"

"Friends of mine."

"Do you mean…Merry and Pippin?"

"Yes, if you'd like to meet them."

"That would be great! But what if they think I'm strange and don't believe my story?"

"Don't you worry, miss Charlene, I trust you. I'll tell them so myself. You'll like them a lot, you'll see."

"I've heard that they're a lot of fun," I said with a chuckle, and Sam led me out of the door. I wondered what awaited me, here in the Shire...

* * *

Meanwhile, far off in Rivendell, an old long haired Elf was looking out from his window. He was thinking hard to himself. He could sense something unusual in the future, and he was in preparation for it. He looked behind him as he heard the door latch unlock as it creaked opened. Through the doorway a tall man with black smooth hair and a royal green outfit on walked in. There was a majestic tone in his voice as he spoke. "My Lord Elrond." he said.

The Elf looked at him with serious eyes. "The rumours are true," he said darkly, in his deep wise voice, "What I have foreseen with Lady Galadriel…a new human is here."

"Send word to the Elves of the Undying Lands," the man said. "Call a ship back. It's essential if we are going to stop what is inevitably coming."

"We cannot take matters into our own hands so soon, my King Aragorn," said Elrond.

"He needs to come back," said Aragorn. "You said it yourself. It is destined. He'll be needed if what you say comes to pass."

"He is in Valinor, he cannot simply return," Elrond said sharply.

"He can if it is necessary," Aragorn said calmly.

Elrond stared at him in deep thought. He had decisions to make...


	3. The Letter of Excitement

Chapter 3: The Letter of Excitement

"So it's just called Earth…without the Middle."

"Yes. Do you get it now?" I said to Pippin, laughing at his questions.

Sam had introduced me to Merry and Pippin and they too were exactly as I had imagined them. They were a little bit more difficult to convince about who I was. In the end I had to recite something that I remembered each of them had said in the books, and then at long last they believed me. But I was right about them. They were great fun to chat to and both of them were obviously quite mischievous.

At that moment we were sitting just outside Bywater on a wall. Merry and Pippin were both smoking their long pipes and every now and then they stopped to say something to me. In fact, they seemed more curious about my world than I was about their world. They must have asked at least 50 questions altogether.

"Does anyone speak Elvish in your world?"

"Do you have a horse?"

"Why don't you live with your real family?"

"What's a pizza?"

Some of them I didn't even understand. Sam was sitting with us and I could tell he was getting bored of Merry and Pippin's constant questions as he kept glancing at me. When he finally got the opportunity, he spoke up. "Righto everyone, how about we all head back to my house and I'll make us all a little something."

"Gladly!" Pippin said as he and Merry dropped their pipes, jumped off the wall and dashed off ahead of us. When Sam and I started walking side by side I said to him, "Are they always that chatty?"

"Oh, you have no idea, miss Charlene," Sam said, with an amused look on his face.

When we finally made it back to his house Sam gave me a piece of cake while Merry and Pippin gorged themselves with a helping of blackberry pie. "Freshly picked from the woods, those blackberries are!" Sam commented, looking proud.

"Need anything picking another time?" Merry asked hopefully.

"Don't you go asking," Sam said. "With what you and Pip used to get up to, I'm not risking anything."

"Oh what's the risk?" said Pippin, "We've grown out of all those antics now."

"You mean stealing things?" I said.

"Yeah, that." Merry said.

"But picking blackberries and stealing are two very different things," said Pippin, "I don't know why Sam doesn't trust us."

It was just then I realised Sam was no longer in the room. "Where did he go?" I asked, slightly apprehensive.

"Don't look so worried!" laughed Merry, "He's probably gone to fetch his own lunch. He'll be back in a minute."

Sam did return to the room in a minute's time, but he wasn't carrying lunch. I saw that he had a handful of envelopes and in his other hand he had a piece of rolled out parchment. His eyes were fixed upon it.

"What's that, Sam?" asked Pippin, with his mouth full.

Sam didn't answer him. His eyes kept scanning the paper for quite a few seconds until his face slowly started to light up.

"Sam, what is it?" I asked.

"Ha ha!" At this point Sam was almost jumping up and down with joy. "It's from…G-Gandalf!" he cried.

"Gandalf?" Merry and Pippin said together, as they got up and ran over to Sam to read the letter themselves. I was so keen to know what was happening that I also hurried over.

"Dear Samwise," Sam read, "I am writing to give you an important message. This may seem rather sudden but I need to inform you that there are matters we need to discuss, so tomorrow morning a boat will be returning to the harbour and I will be on board. Please meet me there at 9 o'clock. I am looking forward to seeing your faces once again. Yours truly, Gandalf the White."

The three hobbits looked at each other once Sam had finished reading, and each of them had a huge beam on their face. They then looked at me, and I was also grinning from ear to ear. "Gandalf's coming back!" Sam shrieked.

I laughed as the three of them started jumping around and hugging each other. But then suddenly a thought occurred to me. I waited until they had quietened down and then I said, "Will there be anyone else coming back?"

"Probably not, miss Charlene," said Sam, "If there were, Gandalf would have said so. Besides, Bilbo can't come back to Middle Earth because of his age and Frodo has to look after him."

"Oh…" I said glumly, "yes, of course…but I'll get to meet Gandalf! That's amazing!"

"It's been so long and we're going to see him again!" Merry said happily.

I smiled at them. I really was happy that Gandalf was returning to Middle Earth, but I couldn't help feeling slightly deflated that Frodo wasn't coming too.


	4. An Arrival and a Task

Chapter 4: An Arrival and a Task

That night I slept over at Sam's house. Sam found a spare blanket for me to sleep with on the sofa. Rosie returned that night and she was just as welcoming and friendly as Sam had been. The next morning when I woke up, I wondered for a second where on earth I was. But then I remembered, and I was very glad I hadn't woken up in my normal room. Now I was absolutely certain I hadn't been dreaming.

At that moment I remembered what was happening today and excitement swept through me. Everything came back to me. I had met Sam, Merry and Pippin, and today Gandalf was returning from Valinor. I lay awake thinking for about nine or ten minutes and then I heard Sam walk into the room. I only just managed to make out his face as my vision was still blurry from sleeping. He was giving me a pleasant smile as he said to me, "Morning, Charlene!"

I rubbed my eyes, as they prickled from the sunlight that came in through the window. "Morning…" I said dazedly.

"Did you sleep well?" Sam asked politely.

"Yes, I slept fine, thanks," I answered, hauling myself up. "What time is it?"

"Just gone quarter past eight," said Sam. "You'd better get yourself dressed, then we'll have a quick bite to eat and get out of here. Merry and Pip said they'll meet us at the harbour just before nine."

"Okay," I said, and I climbed out of bed as the excitable feeling filled me up again.

I don't think I'd ever got dressed more hastily in my life. I found myself in clothes in a matter of seconds. For a quick breakfast I only had a slice of toast and butter. Sam seemed to be rushing through his breakfast. I guessed he was as excited as I was. As quickly as we had eaten, we were out of the door, still rather tired from our early awakening. We both acted like we didn't care as we made our way to the harbour. It was a long walk, seeing as one would normally go by cart, Sam mentioned. But we tried not to let it bother us, as we were just too eager to get there. When we finally did, we were panting quite heavily. Merry and Pippin were looking at us with optimistic expressions. "We were wondering if you were going to make it at all!" Merry said with a smile.

"We're not late, are we?" I asked, worried for a moment.

"Bang on time as a matter of fact," said Pippin reassuringly. "The boat should be here any minute."

A thrilled smile spread across my face and once again that fervent sensation started tingling. Minutes away…I kept thinking to myself. It was hard to stand just a few moments of waiting, let alone a few minutes. Then after it seemed like hours of lingering, I saw a promising sign ahead. The sun was shining its rays onto the rippling water but its light was gradually blocked by a large shape on the horizon. Sam, Merry and Pippin had noticed it too and they were watching intently, as was I.

The outline edged closer and closer, until we were able to tell what it was… "They're here!" Merry suddenly yelled, "That's a boat! They're coming!"

It was at that point that Merry and Pippin started cheering and bounding around. Sam and I said nothing. We just stared with huge smiles on our faces. But as the boat slowly approached we started to get more excited and before we knew it we were jumping up and down too. When the boat was finally at the dock we calmed ourselves down. We waited in tense silence for something to happen.

Then we saw an outlandishly tall figure step off the boat. I recognized the pointy ears and the long white hair. He was obviously an Elf. Even seeing one Elf was spectacular. And then I recognized that this Elf was Celeborn, the one I remembered had been in Mirkwood all that time ago. I watched in admiration as he scrutinized the four of us with thoughtful grey eyes. He spoke in a quiet yet authoritative voice. "Your waiting is over. Please welcome back an old acquaintance."

I kept my mouth shut and my face as straight as possible, but my heart was secretly hopping around with delight. I saw another towering figure stride forward. Like Celeborn, he had long white robes and snowy hair, and was carrying a long staff and had a white beard. There was no mistaking that face. It was the wizard, Gandalf.

"Gandalf!" Sam cried, "It's so good to see you again!"

"My dear hobbits," said Gandalf in his magnificent voice, "It is also wonderful for me to set eyes on you once more."

I was flabbergasted just by the sight of him, and was finding it extremely difficult to keep my mouth closed. "But I have come because of rather serious matters," he said, and Sam, Merry and Pippin's smiles started to fade. The wizard looked in my direction and I became a little uncomfortable. "I believe you are the girl who has been transported here."

"Err…y-yes," I said nervously. "How do you know about that?"

Gandalf smiled. "I am a wizard, child. I know many things."

"Why?" Sam asked. "Does Miss. Charlene have something to do with this?"

"We will get to that later." Gandalf said coolly, "I have some explaining to do. Lord Elrond has foreseen something quite terrible."

After Gandalf had said that, I felt petrified. I had expected his arrival to be a happy thing; I didn't think he would be bringing grave news. The wizard took a hesitant breath before speaking again. "A new evil is rising out of the ashes."

We stood in silence, trying to take in what had just been said. "But-" Sam stuttered, with a worried look on his face, "I thought it was all gone! Sauron! He survived?"

"No," Gandalf said. "He and his forces were completely destroyed. This is a different evil. A race of creatures of which we have never seen before. While we were fighting Sauron, they were waiting underground for their opportunity. When Sauron's forces were defeated, they saw their chance. Now they are coming out from their hiding place to overthrow all that is good."

"But who are they?" Merry asked.

"That, for the moment, we do not know. But what is important is that they are overcome. We need to destroy their king, who still lurks underground. If he dies, all of his race will die too. And I have the ideal weapon with me."

He pulled out a drawstring bag from inside his robes. "In here contains Conquering Dust from Rivendell." Gandalf said, "If it is thrown on a living creature, they will dissolve into no more. And we need someone to travel underground to use the dust on this foe."

"So... you want _us_ to do it?" Sam suddenly asked.

"Yes, my dear Samwise," Gandalf said, with gentleness. "It makes the most sense for hobbits to do this task, since you are nimble and capable of being unseen."

We stood in another silence. I felt shocked, since I wasn't expecting to come to Middle-Earth when something dangerous was happening.

"I think we'll do it." Sam said.

"We…we will?" Pippin stared at Sam in disbelief.

"Of course! We're not just going to stand by and let terrible things happen. Just like we didn't last time."

"Aww, do we have to?" Pippin groaned. "We've had our share. Why can't someone else do it this time?"

"I'm with Sam," I found myself saying. "I want to be part of this. If you decide to do it, I'm doing it too."

"I admire your courage, young one," Gandalf said to me. "This is the reason why…you are here."

I stood stock-still for several moments, staring. I had a reason for being in Middle-Earth? It wasn't just something that happened by chance? "I…I don't understand," I said in confusion. "Was I meant to be here?"

"Yes," Gandalf said simply. "The book that you have in your possession is Elven-made, and was designed specifically to bring you to Middle-Earth."

"R-really?" Those words made my body fill up with joy. I never would have guessed that my special book was practically a portal to Middle-Earth. This was another thing that was difficult to take in. "But why would you need _me_?" I continued to ask. "Surely the hobbits could do this easily without my help?"

"Not necessarily," the wizard said to me, "Hobbits are small and lithe, but since the quest of the One Ring occurred, many have become accustomed to their scent. We need someone from a different world that creatures here would not recognize. You are now a hobbit, and have their physical advantages. However, human blood is still within you, which means you won't be seen as a hobbit."

"So I'm like...half-human, half-hobbit?"

"That is the long and short of it, yes, my child."

I nodded in understanding. Gandalf was telling me that I was to act as a sort of disguise for the other hobbits. That way, this evil race would not be familiar with my foreign scent. It was a good plan, I thought to myself. I couldn't help feeling a tinge of fear though. I was being thrown into a whole new journey where dangers were bound to cross our paths. What would happen to me and the others in the end? I decided not to ponder it.

"That's amazing, Miss Charlene," Sam said to me, brushing his hand on my shoulder. "You're like the start of a brand new race! I'm ever so glad you came to Middle-Earth to help us."

"So am I," I said with a smile. "Even if I had no idea it was going to happen in the first place." Sam and I chuckled at this thought.

"And I have a little more good news for you," Gandalf then said. "You will not be the only ones carrying out this task."

We didn't say anything for a few moments, then Sam piped up. "Who will be accompanying us?"

"Another old acquaintance." Gandalf said quietly, with a secretive smile on his face.

Once again nobody spoke for several seconds…then suddenly Sam gasped and said, "You don't mean…you brought…" Gandalf nodded at the hobbit.

"But we thought you were coming alone!" Merry exclaimed.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck," said Gandalf, "I thought you knew me well enough to know that I always have a secret to hide."

I couldn't grasp what everyone was so excited about. What old acquaintance? Then my heart jumped as I realized. No…I thought, it isn't…

"You can show your face now." Gandalf said, turning his head to look at the boat.

I stared with my eyes wide. Someone else was now stepping off the boat; not tall this time, in fact the same height as Sam, Merry, Pippin and I. My breath was quenched as I gazed at him. I recognized the sleek black hair, nine fingers and the most distinguishing feature, a pair of glittering blue eyes, and then I heard Sam cry his name…

"FRODO!"


	5. The Adventure That Lies Ahead

Chapter 5: The Adventure That Lies Ahead

Sam rushed forward with a look of huge delight upon his face. "Sam!" Frodo exclaimed, and the next thing I knew Sam was hugging him tightly.

"We've missed you so much! I can't believe you're here!" Sam laughed.

"It's great to see you again, Sam." Frodo said calmly, a smile on his face as he let Sam go. I was so mesmerized by that point that my mouth had fallen open and my heart was beating more quickly than I ever remembered. When Frodo looked at me I quickly shut my mouth.

"Is your name Charlene, by any chance?" he asked softly.

"Y-yeah…" I mumbled. I was shaking, and I couldn't quite figure out why.

"I'm Frodo Baggins."

"I know," I said with a shy smile. "It's...r-really nice to meet you." He returned my smile, which made my heart do a little jolt. Merry and Pippin hurried over to Frodo and grappled him with enormous hugs. It took at least a minute for them all to calm down, and it was then Gandalf spoke again.

"We decided Frodo should escort you four on the journey." Gandalf said.

"But what about Mister Bilbo?" Sam asked.

"Don't worry. I've left him in Galadriel's care," said Frodo. "He'll be fine without me for a little while."

"Well, I'll leave you all to prepare," said Gandalf. "You need to leave tomorrow morning. Will you be all right, Frodo?"

"I'll be fine," said Frodo.

"Very well. You can set off outside Green Hill Country. I will guide you some of the way. Farewell for now, my friends."

"Thank you, Gandalf," Sam said gratefully.

As we all turned away to head back to the Shire, I caught a glimpse of Frodo looking at me. He gave me another smile and I couldn't help but flinch.

* * *

It was later that morning, almost afternoon, that the sun had unleashed its full light over the Shire. I was sitting just on the outskirts of Bywater, pulling the needles of grass out from the earth underneath my fingers. I was still trying to get over the fact I had met Gandalf, let alone Frodo, the hobbit I had always looked up to and admired. And I was also trying to endure the thought of me going on a dangerous journey through Middle Earth. It didn't seem real at first, but now that I thought about it I felt afraid of what I had let myself in for. I was still young, only 17, and I didn't know if I felt ready. But then I remembered I didn't want to let Gandalf down, or Sam, Elrond, Frodo, or the whole of Middle Earth. I needed to do this.

"Are you all right?"

I jolted when I heard that voice. I looked up from behind me and I saw Frodo looking down at me with a sympathetic look on his face. He was no longer wearing his teal cape, just his pale blue shirt and black trousers.

"Oh, um…I'm fine…" I said timidly.

Frodo gave me a friendly smile and sat down beside me with his legs crossed. "You just seem a little bit uneasy." he said, "Are you worried?"

"Well…yes, I suppose I am a little nervous."

"I know how you feel."

"It... it must be especially hard for you, having to be dragged into all this for the second time."

"I'm not that worried. I didn't get forced to do this; I volunteered."

I smiled to myself. He had volunteered to go on a dangerous quest for the second time. If that wasn't admirable, I didn't know what was.

"Besides," Frodo continued, "it was worse last time, having to deal with the...the Ring." He seemed to find it difficult to get that last word out. "But this time I won't have that pressure. And we'll be stronger if there are five of us together in a group."

"Yeah…that's true…" I let my eyes glaze over him as he sat beside me. I couldn't quite take it in: it was Frodo! Frodo Baggins! He was real and he was talking to me! If this is a dream, I thought, I don't ever want to wake up.

"Help!"

A sudden cry drew our attention. I recognized the voice. It was Pippin's.

"Oh, this can't be good," Frodo said as he got up. Unsure of how to act, I decided to rush after him. We followed the sound of Pippin's yells and eventually caught sight of the mischievous hobbit sitting on an overhanging branch of an apple tree.

"A little help up here!" Pippin called.

"What was it this time?" Frodo said to him.

"I needed plump apples for my next pie, but I've run out. So…"

"You just thought you'd go and pick them yourself." Frodo sighed.

"Well, yes."

"But you forgot the fact that you're not very good at climbing trees."

"Well, no…it's just the getting down that's the problem."

"I can see that!" I chuckled.

"Believe me, you get used to Pippin eventually," Frodo said to me, who also had a grin on his face, "Don't worry Pip, we'll find a way to get you down…" he turned to me, "I think." he whispered.

Later on we eventually managed to get Pippin down with one of Ted Sandyman's ladders, and Frodo gave Pippin some 'advice' when he next decides to take matters into his own hands. That made me laugh. In fact Frodo and I had lots of laughs after that. He told me all the things that Merry and Pippin used to get themselves into, and sometimes they couldn't get out!

It was then that I guessed Frodo didn't really get involved, and I was right, as even he admitted he was a bit self-righteous. He said he somewhat regretted it, but I reassured him by saying that there's nothing wrong with being well-behaved. But then our minds turned back to the day ahead of us.

"When do we have to leave tomorrow?" I suddenly said.

"I think about 9 o'clock." Frodo said.

"Early starts. They're not my thing," I groaned.

Frodo sniggered. "Well, better go to bed early tonight, hadn't you?"

"Yeah I guess…" I murmured, feeling quite shy all of a sudden. I fiddled with my hands, bending my head so he wouldn't see my embarrassed smile. Then I thought for a few moments. "How exactly are we going to get underground and find the leader that we're supposed to kill? I mean, he could be anywhere couldn't he?"

"That's just it, see." said Frodo, "We don't know where he's hiding. But Gandalf told me that we'll be able to tell where his lair is from up above. There should be some sort of passageway on the ground with foreign markings on it. That's what we have to look for."

"But how do we know where to look?"

"I don't know. Gandalf will be telling us that tomorrow."

"Well…no one said it was going to be easy," I chuckled.

"Yes, that's very true. These things are never easy."

After a few seconds, Frodo said, "Speaking of which, I'm not fully prepared yet. I need to go and pack my bags with Merry and Pip. Will you be all right with Sam for the night?"

"Yeah, no problem."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then," Frodo said as he started to walk off. "Oh and get that good sleep you need! You'll be thankful for it tomorrow!"

"I will!"

"Bye then, Charlene. It was nice to meet you."

"Bye, Frodo…" And as he walked off into the darkening afternoon, I stared after him until he had gone from my sight.

* * *

"Wakey wakey, sweetie pie." a soft female voice gently spoke to me as I opened my eyes slowly.

At first I saw the blurry outline of a face that I did not recognize, but as my vision became clearer I saw the kindly brown eyes of Rosie looking at me. She was smiling ever so pleasantly and stroking my forehead. "Sorry to wake you up, love," she said to me, still smiling, "but you have to get up. Remember it's an important day."

"Y-yes," I mumbled. "Yeah…I'm ready."

When I finally managed to get my mind straight, my heart started racing with excitement and anxiety. This was it. Today was the day I had to begin the long-awaited journey of a lifetime.

After I dragged myself out of bed, Rosie made me some sandwiches as I talked with Sam. He seemed quite tense about the whole thing too, and was taking it all rather too seriously. I tried to comfort him by reciting what Frodo had said, about having his friends by his side. That seemed to work, as he cheered up after that. I could tell because he suddenly started talking about it in a more positive light. He said he was looking forward to enjoying the heroic feeling once again. I laughed at that, because it seemed like he was boasting.

It only seemed like seconds later when we gathering our bags and putting our shawls on. Frodo had lent me one of his old ones the day before, and it fitted me just about perfectly. The cheery atmosphere of the previous conversation started to sink away, as we realized we were now beginning the dangerous journey we had been dreading. When Sam had volunteered to do the task the day before, he had seemed determined and courageous, but that feeling had left his face as he now looked apprehensive. I was feeling the same, almost regretting my decision to go along with all this. Then I remembered that many lives were at stake, and it was our destiny to save them. I didn't want to throw that opportunity away.

Sam still had a fearful expression on his face. I put my hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Sam," I said tenderly. "We can do this. You still have courage in you, and I know you won't let us down."

He seemed to be soothed by my words, and he nodded his head with a more confident smile spreading across his lips. Then Rosie walked up to him, just as we were about to head out of the door. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him in a tight hug. "Good luck, honey," she said to him. "Stay safe and I'll see you soon…yes, I will see you soon…"

Sam gave Rosie a quick kiss before turning away to follow me out of the arched doorway. I gave Rosie a thankful smile before I shut the door and walked by Sam's side. Merry had told me that Green Hill Country was only a few minutes walk, but as Sam and I strolled through the Shire's quiet stillness of the morning, it seemed to last for hours. Sam barely said anything as we were walking. When he started leading me through an archway of stone, I knew we were getting close to Green Hill Country. I could tell when we had arrived because soon the air was filled with a sweet scent of freshness and I could hear numerous birds tweeting loudly. It was a very beautiful place, probably my favourite part of the Shire.

"So where exactly do we have to go?" I said to Sam.

"Gandalf said to set off just on the outskirts. So that's where we're going. Right to the edge."

Sam stayed silent for several long moments, and I could tell he was in deep thought. He then said, "I remember we all used to sit on the edge of Green Hill Country, Mr. Frodo and me and the others, wondering if there'd be any adventures out there. And low and behold, it happened."

"And it's happening again." I said, "That's what you can think of it as, Sam. This isn't a really dangerous mission. It's just another adventure. Just put all thoughts of negativity out of your mind. That way you can get through this more easily."

Sam lifted his head to gaze into the distance, and then smiled at me more confidently. "You're right, miss Charlene. Let's think happily about all of this, shall we?" I nodded my head in agreement. "And I'm glad to have you as a friend coming with us on this journey."

I giggled modestly. That was quite possibly the best compliment I'd had for a long time.

We carried on ambling through the Shire. Since I was feeling much happier, time sped up as it only seemed like a minute later when I finally caught sight of a tall white figure which I instantly identified as Gandalf.

"They're over there." I beckoned to Sam as we started to walk more quickly.

As we got closer I glimpsed Merry and Pippin with their mantles on, looking up at Gandalf and talking to him. I also saw Frodo waiting with them, but instead of looking at Gandalf he was looking in my direction. I tried not to stare back too much, but sometimes I couldn't help glancing. When Sam and I finally reached them, Gandalf turned to us.

"I'm glad to see you two could make it," he said. "It is time for you to begin your journey. I will accompany you for a short time to tell you where to go."

I shuffled over to Frodo's side. "Are you okay?" Frodo whispered.

"Yeah," I whispered back.

"Now," Gandalf continued, "someone will need to have the job of carrying the Conquering Dust. Whoever does this must not lose it. It is very precious and mustn't be mislaid. Who will take this task?"

Pippin raised his hand and opened his mouth to say something but Gandalf interrupted him. "Before you can ask, Peregrin Took, I should say that this doesn't apply to you. I'm not taking any risks."

Pippin lowered his hand and a look of slight disappointment appeared on his face. I heard Frodo chuckle and I returned his grin. "So who else will carry the bag?" Gandalf said.

"Um…could I take it, Gandalf?"

It took me a few seconds to realize it was me who had just said that. I didn't know what had made me come out with it, but somehow I felt like I should be the person to look after the dust. "Certainly, my dear." Gandalf said with a smile, as he handed me the bag. "You must remember to take good care of it. The quest will not succeed without it."

"I will look after it. I promise," I said sincerely.

"Thank you. I feel I can trust you," Gandalf said graciously. "So, as I said, I will lead you for the first part of the journey. But I cannot stay, as I have my own things to attend to. After I have shown you the way, you must continue on your own."

"What do you have to do when you're not with us?" Frodo asked.

"You'll see," Gandalf said, smiling in a secretive way again. Frodo and I exchanged looks. I wondered what Gandalf was hiding. "Right, it is time to leave." said Gandalf, "Come, I will take you through the woods and into the open."

And as Gandalf strode forward, Merry, Pippin and Sam followed him, and I walked beside Frodo. Our adventure was finally beginning...


	6. Empathy and Dangers

Chapter 6: Empathy and Dangers

The atmosphere of our surroundings gradually started to change as we wandered through the shadowy woods. It was easy to tell that we were far away from Hobbiton now. I started to feel rather tentative as I looked around. Even though I had five people with me, I started to feel isolated and afraid. But I felt better when Frodo started talking to me.

"I used to come here a lot when I was in my tweens. It seems odd now, seeing it so dark and mysterious. Though I suppose I'm quite used to mysterious places now."

I wasn't sure what to say to that, but I understood what he meant. The places he and the other hobbits had encountered during their previous journey had surely been horrible. I hadn't experienced any of it myself, though I had seen it in the movies and the books I read. Feeling awkward with the silence, I spoke up again.

"It's strange for me too," I said comfortingly, "seeing all this before my eyes. I thought that...none of it was real before I came here."

Frodo looked at me curiously. "Gandalf told me you are from another world," he said quietly, "that's amazing. I've met many Elves and dwarves as well as other foreign races. But I've never met someone from a completely different world. I didn't think it was possible."

"I didn't either," I said with a grin.

"How did you get here exactly?"

"Well... I'm not sure. It was a crazy moment: I was just reading a book of mine, quite a large book it is, and it suddenly started glowing everywhere and...well, sort of sucked me inside its pages. It sounds so weird in my head, but that's what really happened." I smiled at the memory. What would Tony and Sue have thought when they walked into my bedroom and found that I wasn't there? I didn't know, neither did I care. "Gandalf said to me that my book was made by Elves specifically to transport me here. I never would have guessed." I chuckled. "But I'm glad it did happen."

I looked at Frodo to see he was smiling, enthralled by my story. "I'm pleased it happened too," he said softly, "it's nice to have you with us."

"Thank you." My voice was quiet as I spoke to him, and I wasn't sure why. I turned my head away to stare at some trees while biting my lip nervously. Why was I like this? I hadn't been so timid around Sam or the other hobbits. Frodo had always been my favourite character, and perhaps meeting him and talking to him was too much excitement to bear. Yet, I didn't understand how that meant I should be as shy as I was. _Hmm. I'll figure it out later_, I thought.

Gandalf was leading us at the front, Sam, Merry and Pippin following close behind. Frodo and I lagged behind slightly because we spent a lot of time talking to each other. Frodo was asking me about how I knew so much about his world. Despite my fear that he wouldn't believe me, I explained how 'The Lord of the Rings' was a fictional book series that I had read at home, and how everyone thought it was completely made-up. I didn't bother telling him about my DVDs, since that would only confuse him. Once I had finished talking about the books, I was surprised to see that Frodo believed every word I said, although he found it quite shocking that I knew so much about his life and the whole of Middle-Earth. For the rest of the way, we didn't really speak much at all, but I kept glancing at Frodo now and then.

Soon we were out of the gloomy woods and it was at that point that Gandalf turned around to face us. Frodo and I had to do a little more walking to catch up. Once we were there, Gandalf started to speak. I knew what he was going to say. "It is time," he said softly. "I must leave you now. You are to continue from here straight until you are out of the Shire."

"Gandalf, we still don't know where to look," Frodo said. "For the passage."

"Ah yes, the passage. I am still not entirely sure where the exact location of the doorway is, but I do know where you are most likely to find it. Travel up to the more mountainous areas, which are near the Sea of Rhun and the Iron Hills, where some dwarves live."

As he continued, the tone in his voice became grave and solemn. "I must warn you that the enemy will be aware of anyone trying to stop him. He will be sending his troops out to keep an eye out for danger, and the chances are you will bump into one or two on your journey…and if they know your intentions, they will not think twice about slaughtering you."

I shuddered at that thought. This really was going to be dangerous. "But do not let that discourage you." said Gandalf, in a more positive voice, "You must be cunning and quick; slipping past any enemies you find will be easy for hobbit feet." I.

The four male hobbits nodded at the wizard, looking scared but courageous at the same time. I nodded too, taking a moment to look down at my own 'hobbit feet'. It felt good to no longer have heavy human toes. "Right, I must go now," Gandalf said. "Take care, all of you, and I will come to your aid whenever I can."

"Thank you for everything, Gandalf," said Frodo.

"Yes, thank you," I added in, bowing my head.

"Good luck to you all." Putting two fingers to his lips, he produced a shrill whistle. I was amazed to hear the pounding of hooves from nearby and then a majestic white horse emerging from the trees. "Farewell, hobbits," the wizard said, before climbing onto the horse's back, which I assumed must have been Shadowfax, and heading off into the forest. I breathed out some air as I looked at the others. We were alone now.

* * *

The five of us travelled for the rest of the day after Gandalf left us. Frodo and Sam said they knew the way to the Iron Hills, but I kept asking just to make sure. I couldn't bear the thought of getting lost. Soon we knew when we were out of the Shire when we found ourselves in a rocky, mountainous landscape. We set up camp near some small caves which we could sleep in at night. The ground wasn't comfortable to sit on, yet it didn't bother me seeing as I was too busy enjoying a couple of Merry's secret stash of buns that he'd brought along with him.

We were all chatting so much that the afternoon went quickly and the sky soon turned into a hazy, orange colour. We soon realized it was getting late. I wanted to stay up, but eventually I began to feel tired and I couldn't fight the fatigue any longer. We all crawled into the small cave that stood beside us, barely able to keep our eyes open. Before I knew it I was wrapping myself inside my shawl and lying on my side. I thought about the days I had ahead of me. There was a fearful feeling tingling inside me as I thought to myself what might be out there, watching and waiting for us right now...

As I lay there staring into the approaching darkness that was now swarming inside the cave, I remembered that I had new-found friends beside me, and I breathed out deeply with relaxation, before closing my eyes…

I woke with a start. My eyes starting stinging from the light that was now streaming inside the cave. Morning had arrived. I could tell it was early because the light that was brightening the cave was only a peachy colour. The cave we were in was quite long on the inside and there was plenty of room for the five of us to lie in. I was far up the end, with Sam and Pippin lying either side of me. Frodo and Merry were sleeping more near to the entrance. Eve though I was at the end of the cave, I could still see the weak early morning sunlight glittering from outside.

As soon as I realized it was still early, I was ready to go back to sleep. But before I could even lower my eyelids, I heard a strange sound coming from outside. It wasn't very loud, because it seemed quite far away, but loud enough for me to hear. It was like a powerful stomp, crashing against the pebbly surface of the ground. I wondered if it might have been a minor cliff fall. But no. It seemed more alive than that, literally alive. Although fear was starting to swell up inside me, I quietly lifted myself up from the floor and started to creep in between the sleeping hobbits on my tip toes, desperate not to wake them. I had to find out what that noise was.

As I skulked towards the opening of the cave, I froze as I heard a second noise: a low rattling growl, and this time it was louder than the first noise. I was shaking with terror, but I didn't let it overpower me. I crept as near as I could to the large gap in the cave with my back leaning against the wall. I took a deep breath and slowly leaned my body to the side so I could see outside. I caught a glimpse of a tall red figure. It was several metres away, and its height was incredible. It had human like claws and stood on two legs, and it had horns on its head that looked like a yak's horns.

I winced as I stared at it, but I had only a few seconds to look at it, because suddenly I felt a hand cover my mouth and pull me back. At first I was worried, but then I sighed with relief as I saw it was just Frodo. He put his finger to his lips, beckoning me to stay quiet. I kept silent, not moving a muscle. My thoughts began to go crazy inside my he head: could this ghastly creature be one of the minions Gandalf had warned us about?

I heard more clomping coming from outside. Hopefully it hadn't noticed me as I'd peeked out. Frodo and I waited tensely. The beast made no movements or sounds for several long seconds…then it started stomping again, but the footsteps got quieter and quieter until I realized that it was moving away. And then I heard nothing.

I gently got hold of Frodo's hand and pulled it off my mouth, still staring nervously. When we both felt brave enough, we edged nearer to the entrance and looked out. There was nothing there.

"What the heck was that?" I gasped, still terror-stricken.

"I don't know," Frodo said seriously, "but it didn't look friendly."

"Do you think that's what Gandalf warned us about? You know…one of them?"

"Yes, it looked like it. It may come back to this place yet, or there may be more than one of them out there."

"Oh no. Quick! Let's wake the others."

We were going to get up, but it was just then I realized I was still holding Frodo's hand. I looked at him and met his gaze. I found myself wanting to keep hold of it, but I let Frodo's hand go as quickly as I had grabbed it.

He didn't hesitate as he got up and started tapping Merry's shoulder. I heard him whispering, but I couldn't tell what he was saying. I walked over to where Sam was lying and I started gently rattling his shoulders. "Sam. Sam, wake up." I murmured.

Sam twitched, and then started moving his head around. "Huh…what?" he mumbled. "Oh, morning, miss Charlene. What's the matter?"

"Sam, we have to go," I said seriously, "There's something following us. We can't stay here."

"Wh-what? What's following us?"

"One of the enemy's evil creatures. It might know we're here, and if it does it will kill us. We have to get out of here."

"O-okay…" Sam said, quickly getting to his feet.

I looked around and I saw that Merry and Pippin were both awake and standing too. They were still looking rather sleepy, but serious at the same time.

"Come on," Frodo said sombrely, "Let's move out of here."

* * *

_If there's anything in my writing you think I could improve on, please let me know in a review! It would be really appreciated! _

_And thanks for reading! :)_


	7. Fear of the Unknown

Chapter 7: Fear of the Unknown

Merry peeked outside of the cave, looking cautious. Frodo looked over his shoulder, scouring the surroundings for any signs of danger. The two of them looked around for several seconds and then Merry made a gesture with his hand to let us know it was safe. We all walked slowly out of the cave. I felt my pocket to make sure I still had the Conquering Dust and sighed with relief as I felt the rough tattered surface of the bag.

As we walked I saw the hobbits constantly looking behind them and around them with anxious looks on their faces. I did too; I felt worried about the presences that may be lurking nearby. Frodo was the only one who didn't seem so nervous. But although he didn't want to show it, I could see a hint of fear in his blue eyes.

As we walked for many long minutes, I was starting to hate being stuck in the rocky terrain. It was like we couldn't escape, and the weather was so dreary and it dulled my mood. Just when I thought I couldn't feel any worse, I heard a sound that I'd hoped to never hear again. We stopped immediately and stood still. Frodo looked around edgily, trying to see where the blood-curdling snarl had come from. I gulped, feeling terrified and not knowing what to do. Sam was close at my side, and I could feel him trembling.

"Go," Frodo said. "Hide! Anywhere!"

I didn't need telling a second time. I ran for it and I felt the other four on my heels. After a while of helpless running, I finally saw a dark hole ahead of me. It was another cave, and it seemed much bigger than the last one. "There! Hide in there!" Merry yelled, as I hurried inside.

I glanced around briefly. There was much more space, in fact it was more of a tunnel than a cave. I rushed down it until I got to the end, which took rather a long time, and sat in the corner. Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin joined me as we all huddled up. Despite the length of the tunnel, it was still very narrow, so it was a tight squeeze to fit us all in. Frodo crammed himself into the space next to me, and Merry took the space on my other side. Pippin and Sam were jammed into the other corner.

"Everyone stay quiet." Sam whispered, "We can't let it find us."

After a long awkward silence, my heart jerked with panic as I heard the dreadful stomping footsteps coming closer and closer. I whimpered, unable to hold my fear. Frodo gripped my arm from beside me, trying to reassure me. I held my breath to try and stay quiet, but the footsteps continued to thump around us. Then it paused for quite a few seconds, and we waited. I knew it was still there, but it wasn't too close to us, because its growls were distant.

Frodo was still holding my arm tightly. I had a strong urge to hold his hand, but I was too scared to move, because I didn't want the creature to hear anything. So I didn't move or say a word. There were more moments of apprehensive silence as we waited for any sounds from outside…there was nothing…no noises or movements…just quiet stillness…

"A…A…"

"No, Pippin, please don't..." Frodo hissed with fear.

"ACHOOO!"

It was too late. Pippin had let out an almighty sneeze without being able to avoid it. That was all it needed.

I could hear the terrifying crashing steps coming closer and getting louder and louder. I desperately wanted to run, but I didn't. I was so frightened that I was rooted to the spot. The stomps were now so loud that the ground was shaking. My teeth were chattering and I clenched my eyes shut, not wanting to look. The footsteps were now several feet away, and even though we couldn't see the creature, we knew it was only a matter of time before it found us.

Then the paces changed direction unexpectedly. They were now on top of us, standing on the ground that covered our heads. It was so close now I could hear its heavy breathing as it stood and waited. My eyes were still scrunched shut, trying to block out anything that might come our way. But then my fear was momentarily extinguished as I felt smooth fingers curl around my hand. I looked down to see that they were Frodo's.

Suddenly there was an enormous thud. I heard rock cracking above my head as small stones and dust rained down. The creature was trying to dig in. "Get out!" Sam shrieked. I was in such a rush to move that as I shot up off my feet, my pocket suddenly felt less heavy. I looked behind me as the other four dashed off into the tunnel. The beige drawstring bag was sitting in a dark corner. Gasping, I quickly reached forward and grabbed the bag with my fingertips and placed it back in my pocket.

"Charlene! Come on!" Frodo called, and I saw he was only a little way up the tunnel, waiting for me.

I ran to him as he clutched my wrist and dragged me out of the tunnel. The dull light filled my eyes as I came out of the cave. I could see, through the mist, Sam, Merry and Pippin running ahead of us. But then I could feel the crashing treads throttling the ground as they followed us. I dared not look around, as I did not want to see the horrifying sight that was almost certainly lurking behind me. I just ran. I had no idea where I was going, but I didn't care at the moment. I just wanted to get away. And then terror filled me as I heard a horrible roar coming from high up behind me.

Soon I realized I had run so fast that I had caught up with the other three. Then they came to a sudden stop and I nearly bumped into them, which would have been a big mistake, because they had stopped on a cliff edge. It was probably only several metres high, but I was so small now that it seemed like a huge drop. "What now?" Sam said, panicking.

The creature had fallen behind slightly, but it was catching up quickly. We had to decide what to do. "Jump it."

Frodo said those two words as if it was nothing to worry about. "Jump it?" Sam echoed.

"It won't try and follow us. It's too large. We don't have time anyway! Just be brave and do it!"

We wanted to be brave, but as we stared at the ground which seemed miles away from our feet, something was holding us back. But when the monster gave another loud cry, we knew that there was no choice. I saw Sam and Pippin leap off the edge. They landed in awkward positions, and they moaned as they caught the hard ground, but they were unharmed.

"We're okay!" Sam yelled, "You can do it! Come on, it's fine!"

I could feel the footsteps were little more than a metre away now, and Merry and Frodo nodded at me. I braced myself and lunged forward. It was a long way down, but as I landed I found it was not dangerous. My knees hurt from the sharp rocks, but at least I had got away. Frodo and Merry landed nearby. I looked up at the cliff, and I saw the beast properly for the first time. It was like the one I had seen before, except much bigger. Frodo was right. It wasn't trying to follow us down. It was just roaring in anger, and it was showing rows of huge, ragged teeth. It gave us a menacing look, and strode away, its footsteps ringing throughout the whole valley.

* * *

Our travels went on into the evening, and I was glad that we finally made it out of the hilly domain. Instead we wandered into a land of marshes, and it was easy to tell that it was a neglected place. There were no signs of life, a morbid place. I was no longer glad I had arrived. A few minutes passed and I found myself yawning, and I found it very hard to keep walking. Luckily Frodo soon said we had to find a place to sleep. I felt nervous about closing my eyes for the night, not staying on guard. Even though we had journeyed far since seeing the creature, I couldn't help thinking that we may not be alone…

Deep into the night, something woke me. I didn't know what, but I felt sure I had heard something. I sat up quickly. Frodo, Sam and the other hobbits were all sound asleep. I looked around. We were lying underneath a large thorny bush. It wasn't the best shelter, but it kept us dry at least. I couldn't sit up too high, as my head was inches away from the prickles. I heard a sudden crash coming from far away, my eyes widened. I heard a growl too; was it in my head, or close by? At first I thought I was being paranoid, too worried about my deepest fears. No…I wasn't stupid, and I knew what I had heard.

Once again I had that strong impulse to go and investigate, but I knew what I could come face to face with. I tried to stay still, but I felt terribly afraid that I was being watched. I lay on my back and I turned my head to look at the hobbits sleeping, who were unaware of the noise. As I looked at Frodo, with his silky black hair curling over his forehead as he slept, I felt sorry that they could be in danger if what I suspected was waiting in the distance.

I gathered up all my courage, and I clambered out from underneath the bush. The marshland seemed even more haunting at night as the black sky loomed above me like an entire roof. My fear increased. I did not know if there was something nearby, or far darkness was blanketing the land, yet I walked, not sure if I even knew what I was doing…or where I was going…I felt wary, also confused. Maybe I had been imagining things. At the moment there were no stomps or snarls or sudden sounds.

I stopped, unable to move. I decided I didn't feel safe so I ran back to hide underneath the bush. I was so quick that I made the grass rustle. This didn't wake the hobbits up, but I had an awful feeling that something worse will have been disturbed instead. I decided that we were no longer out of harm's way. The sounds I had heard were completely distinguishable, and I knew what was lurking. I had to wake my friends up. I nudged Frodo, who was sleeping closest to me. "Frodo…" I whispered.

I tried to keep my voice quiet, but I was also so desperate to get my friends out of danger that my whispers were rather loud. Frodo's eyes fluttered, still closed, and then he opened them. I noticed that the amazing blueness of them almost sparkled in the darkness. "Charlene…" he mumbled, still looking weary, "…are you okay?"

"I'm scared, Frodo." I murmured, "I heard noises from outside. They were the same as the ones before. It might have come back."

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"

"No, it wasn't anything like that. I went outside, I looked around…I just don't feel safe…please believe me."

"I do believe you," Frodo said honestly. "Don't worry, we'd better just move."

"But what if something hears us? Maybe staying here is the best option, so it's oblivious to us."

"But if we stay here, it makes it easier for the creatures to find us."

I couldn't think of anything else to say. I just stared at my feet, wondering what to do. But I didn't have to think for very long, because after a few moments, Sam suddenly groaned under his breath as he lifted his head up. His eyes were open instantly, and the look that filled them was rather serious and afraid. "Is it me…" he said fretfully, "…or did you hear something?"

I knew I wasn't being overly worried before, and that I wasn't assuming things, but I had wished so hard for it not to be true, because I did not want another dreadful encounter with my greatest dread. Yet Sam had heard the same sound, this time I was unaware of it, but I knew he was being truthful, and I also knew that I had been right.

Panic pierced my heart as I heard the immediately recognizable roar coming from outside. I didn't dare go anywhere, but Frodo ducked underneath the branches to peek out. I couldn't help moving my head slightly to see, but I quickly moved it away again, as I had caught sight of a horrifying dark shadow that was towering high above us some distance away. Frodo quickly hid himself too. "Don't move," he said seriously. "Just don't do anything."

I was trying very hard not to cry. I kept still, as I knew it was the only thing I could do just to have a chance to keep myself safe. I then noticed Merry and Pippin had suddenly woken up, and they looked terrified. It was clear they knew what was going on. I then saw Frodo slowly put his hand in his pocket, and it looked like he was clutching something. He didn't look afraid anymore, he looked prepared. That suddenly reminded me of something, and I also reached into my pocket to grasp hold of the bag that contained the Conquering Dust, since this was a good opportunity for it to get lost.

The creature was approaching, and the sounds were getting nearer and nearer. It was definitely the same one we had escaped from before. It moved ever nearer, but now I felt less afraid than I had been before. I was preparing myself for whatever would surely come any minute…and it did. A huge hook covered foot appeared in front of me, shaking the ground underneath. Then all of a sudden Pippin gave a loud courageous yell, rushed out of the bush, and stabbed the enormous toe with his blade, although it dwarfed him greatly. Despite his daring bravery, it wasn't the right thing to do, because the ghastly beast had barely been harmed by Pippin's sword, and had reached down and grabbed him by his foot, it took little effort with its great strength and Pippin's small size. Pippin had dropped his weapon and was now dangling from the beast's fingertips, crying for help.

I wanted to act, but I thought there was little I could do against the massive creature. But the other three seemed to think differently. Merry and Sam hurtled out and started prodding and poking the gigantic animal with their blades. I looked out, terrified, I knew I had to do something, but I didn't feel brave enough. I felt a tap on my shoulder and as I looked to my left I saw Frodo holding his hand out with something in it. "I think you might need this," he said gently, and I saw that the shiny object in his hand was an average sized dagger, glinting in the moonlight.

"I…I don't know how I would…" I stammered, unsure whether to take it or not.

"I know you probably haven't used a weapon before, but just keep it for protection." Frodo said, "And be careful."

I nodded at him, taking the dagger and clutching it tightly, although my hand trembled at the thought of confronting danger, but I knew it was going to happen sometime, and it would be best to face my fears now.

The calm faded from Frodo's face as he finally took his hand out of his pocket, and he had his glowing blue sword, Sting, in his hand, and he scrambled out from the bush. I knew there was little chance of the five of us defeating the beast, but we had no choice. So, as terrorized as I was, I followed Frodo out into the open, and stood in front of the huge figure above me, Pippin still hanging from its claws.

Merry gave a huge slash at its leg, and for the first time, it growled in pain. This was when it finally released its grip on Pippin's leg and Pippin's tiny body came tumbling towards the ground. When I saw the distance from the beast's hand to the bottom below, I feared for Pippin's life. But Sam was there for him, and he just managed to seize Pippin in his arms before he could reach the ground. The giant leg of the creature was now slightly blood stained, but it had little effect on it, as it became angry and started stomping around to try and grab hold of one of us. This was very scary for me, but I tried not to back down.

Then my heart almost stopped as I realized that its piercing dark eyes were staring in my direction. I expected it to march forward to try and take hold of me, but it just stood there staring, and it appeared to be sniffing…or sensing something. I wanted to hide, but all I did was take a few steps back, trying not to look threatening, and at the same time, not look too scared. It held my gaze for a few nerve-wracking seconds, and then it suddenly took a step towards me. I backed away.

"Leave off!" Sam's voice cried as I saw his small figure rush to the side of the beast and stab its leg. Once again it gave a snarl of fury, but it did not try to harm Sam. It simply kicked him out of the way, and then it turned back to me. Now I really was scared. It seemed keen to get to me, nonetheless it had not tried to kill me yet. I thought that that could be anytime soon.

I decided to dodge out of the way, clutching my unused dagger in my fingers, and I saw the other four running around trying to scrape and jab the creature's legs. I saw the distinguishing blue glow of Sting. But each one of the hobbits were knocked over by the beast's powerful bulk, and it kept advancing on me. Now I was so terrified that my hand lost its sturdy grasp and my dagger clanked as it fell to the ground. I stumbled over onto my back as I crawled backwards, trying to get as far away as possible. Then I felt a soft thud on the ground as I saw that the bag had fallen out of my pocket. I heard the beast inhaling again and subsequently let out a roar, the loudest I had heard tonight. It was something about the bag. Maybe it could smell it, and it knew what it was, and what I was planning to do with it…that was why it was trying to get to me.

I reached to my side to try and grab hold of the bag. I could feel the footsteps moving closer, and my strength was weakening. Then suddenly a hand snatched the bag, and I felt someone drag me to my feet.

"I've got it." Frodo's calm voice said.

I gripped his arm as he hauled me away from the creature's claws. It was then distracted by Sam who was, yet again, slitting its legs with his minute blade. I could tell it was becoming faint, but it didn't give up as it pursued Frodo and me. Then, without us expecting it at all, its pace quickened and it suddenly jumped in front of us. I looked into its ghastly face and I could see that it was very angry. And as I held onto Frodo's wrist tightly, I saw the huge claw sweeping towards me, and not even Frodo was strong enough to pull me away from it.

I felt a searing pain in my left shoulder. I cried out in agony as I lost my balance and keeled over. I was still conscious, but my senses were diminishing. I felt terribly weak, my shoulder was throbbing and my shawl was torn from the beast's sharp talons. Then the numbness in my body started to fade, and I realized that I was not lying on hard ground. I felt something soft and gentle holding me, and it made me feel better. My vision cleared slightly, and I could just make out the shiny blue eyes of Frodo looking sympathetically at me. "Frodo…" I mumbled, feeling very frail.

"It's okay, Charlene," he said quietly, "You're all right…"

In the background I could hear the creature growling in anguish and the clinking of swords. Then I felt incredibly relieved, as I heard the loud stomps marching away, and then it went quiet. "Pick on someone your own size!" Sam yelled, and I heard three pairs of feet rush in my direction.

My shoulder was still stinging, and I soon found it very hard to breathe. "Is she all right?" Merry's voice said seriously.

"She's been hurt." said Frodo, "I don't know if it's serious or not…"

"Let's go and find some of those weeds." Sam said, "They should be here somewhere."

The three of them ran off. A queasy feeling was now spreading throughout my body…I didn't feel good at all.

"Charlene, talk to me. Are you okay?" Frodo asked softly.

"I…I don't know…it aches everywhere…"

I started to feel drowsy as my eyes struggled to stay open. Frodo caressed my wound, his arm still around me. Although I was suffering, I didn't feel so bad with him comforting me.

"Don't worry," he said, "you're going to be fine…I promise…"


End file.
